At least 12 people—including three children aged 2, 14, and 17—were killed and dozens more were injured after a large-scale Russian drone and missile strike on Kyiv, Ukrainian officials reported.
The attacks occurred early Thursday, marking one of the most severe assaults on the capital in weeks.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched approximately 598 drones and decoys, plus 31 missiles nationwide.
Ukraine intercepted 563 drones and 26 missiles in an extensive air defense effort.
Kyiv’s military administration head, Tymur Tkachenko, said the assaults struck over 20 locations across seven districts, including central areas and a shopping mall.
Nearly 100 buildings were damaged, and rescue teams worked to reach those trapped under the rubble.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as a choice of “ballistics instead of the negotiating table,” pointing to stalled peace efforts despite earlier diplomacy, including among U.S. and Russian leaders.
He urged the international community to respond more consistently to calls for peace.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces intercepted 102 Ukrainian drones overnight—some of which targeted oil refineries in Krasnodar and Samara regions and sparked fires.
The strike struck close to home for many Kyiv residents.
In the Darnytskyi district, a five-storey residential building was leveled, and emergency personnel removed bodies from the wreckage.
In central neighborhoods, shattered glass and debris were evident as people cleared streets.
Diplomatic efforts continue despite the violence. A Ukraine delegation is scheduled to meet U.S. officials in New York on Friday to discuss pathways toward peace.